1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a flow divider box embodying a separation unit driving a scalper screen for the removal and separation of sticky shales, heavy clays, or large amounts of drill solids from the drilling mud or drilling fluid in the mud returns circulating out of an oil and gas well bore. A flow divider box with an array of collector boxes containing baffle plates and adjustable gates regulating the fluid flow redistribution of the drilling fluid or drilling mud to independent shakers.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
The mud system is an integral part of an oil and gas drilling rig, land or marine. Drilling mud or drilling fluid is continually recycled because of the huge cost factor and for environmental reasons. The drilling mud or drilling fluid is used to hold formation pressures in balance, to create and maintain well bore filter cake, create hydraulic horsepower at the bit, hydrostatic testing, shifting of spherical valve elements downhole, and removal of formation solids, cuttings, sand, etc., through the mud return annulus. As the drilling mud or drilling fluid flows from the bell nipple flow line its solids content is refined and removed, through a series of solids control equipment, each removing or separating the plate-like mica structure to a smaller physical size.
It is of the utmost advantage to remove as much solids as practical to reduce down time resulting from plugged flow lines, fluid end repair, drill string erosion, redrilling of the solids or sediments as the drilling mud or drilling fluid recycles itself through the mud system loop.
The conventional mechanical solids control equipment used for removing solids from drilling mud or drilling fluid involves shale shakers and vibratory screens, desilters, desanders, mud cleaners, and centrifuge. This equipment operates at different levels of particle size rejecting solids and retaining desirable solids which can be part of the drilling mud or drilling fluid additives or chemicals.
The mechanical shale shaker screens are limited to short life, and the screens become coated with sticky clays closing the pores or mesh openings resulting in fluid or mud loss. This adds to the problem as additional water must be added to the drilling mud system. This involves the addition of chemical and mud additives to restore the correct and desired mud properties and mud weight, hence the cost of drilling is increased.
The present invention overcomes the aforementioned drawbacks and disadvantages of the prior art and provides additional advantages as well.
The present invention is installed in the flow path of the drilling mud or drilling fluid in the mud system of a drilling rig, upstream of the conventional solids control equipment, and while drilling virgin or young shales it separates and discharges large amounts of drill solids, gumbo, and heavy clays, from the drilling mud or drilling fluid prior to drilling mud or drilling fluid flowing to the aforementioned conventional solids control equipment.
Now by employing a flow divider box in the drilling mud or drilling fluid flow path line, the sediments are managed through an array of individual collector boxes containing baffle plates and gates that regulate the fluid flow redistribution of the sediments in suspension in the drilling mud or drilling fluid before being individually channeled through cylindrical discharge lines.
The present invention is equipped with manual or hydraulic gates adjustable to complement the drilling program as to gallons per minute pumped, and the drilling fluids program itself. The flow divider box having an array of collector boxes supplies drilling mud or drilling fluid to individual shale shakers, and embodies a removal cartridge type separation unit geometrically installed in the flow divider box, that removes large amounts of drill solids, gumbo, and heavy clays from the drilling mud or drilling fluid upstream of the conventional shale shakers.